title: Estimation of nonspecific lectin-mediated staining of glutaraldehyde-fixed cells.
abstract: Lectin-mediated stainings are widely used for the visualization of carbohydrate-carrying cellular components using the electron microscope. The use of glutaraldehyde-fixed cells for these stainings introduces the possibility of low nonspecific lectin-trapping by the glutaraldehyde which coats the cells. This trapping was estimated by means of peroxidase-binding to human leukocytes. Tetrahymena pyriformis and  Escherichia coli cells and was shown to be prevented by rinsing the glutaraldehyde-fixed cells in an amino solution before exposure to the lectin.
mesh_terms: D000447:Aldehydes; D000818:Animals; D005404:Fixatives; D005976:Glutaral; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000379:methods; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D011952:Receptors, Concanavalin A / Q000378:metabolism*; D013769:Tetrahymena pyriformis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D005404:Fixatives; D011952:Receptors, Concanavalin A; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D005976:Glutaral